Connection for prefabricated sheets

ABSTRACT

A building or structural assembly comprising boards held in spaced relationship between one another by connection plates and/or spacing material wherein the edges of the boards have undulated or wavy formations which are matched with similar undulations and formations of the connecting plates, said connecting plates being joined with the boards by the matching of the undulations by any suitable means such as screws, rivets or adhesives. A covering may be provided over the undulations of the boards and connecting plates to give the appearance of a plain smooth wall surface. The connection plates may also be formed and provide for latterly extending window constructions, at least one of which may be hingeable to the wall structure and guide surfaces for slidable doors. The boards may be press-formed with spacing material and the connection plates can be press-formed therewith.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Gustav Konig Doll'ingen, Knpeller l ergstnjz WifiiliefgTGermany [2]] Appl. No. 696,571 [22] Filed Jan. 9, 1968 [45] Patented Jan. 4, 1912 [32] Priority Jan. 14, 19,67 [33] Germany [3 l K 61168 [54] CONNECTION FOR PREFABRICATED SHEETS 12 Claims, 13 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 287/ 189.36 B,

52/582 [51] Int. Cl. Fl6b 5/00 [50] Field otSearch 287/189.35, 189.36 D, 20.92 K, 20.92 C, 20.92 D; 52/586, 585, 489, 458, 589, 509, 582, 496

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,263,355 11/1941 Fould 52/582 X .2151/222291 5 2,414,628 1/1947 Battin......

Primary Examiner-David J. Williamowsky Assistant Examiner-Wayne L. Shedd Attorney-Spencer & Kaye ABSTRACT: A building or structural assembly comprising boards held in spaced relationship between one another by 1 connection plates and/or spacing material wherein the edges of the boards have undulated or wavy formations which are matched with similar undulations and formations of the connecting plates, said connecting plates being joined with the boards by the matching of the undulations by any suitable means such as screws, rivets or adhesives. A covering may be provided over the undulations of the boards and connecting plates to give the appearance of a plain smooth wall surface. The connection plates may also be formed and provide for latterly extending window constructions, at least one of which may be hingeable to the wall structure and guide surfaces for slidable doors. The boards may be press formed with spacing material and the connection plates can be press-formed therewith.

PATENTEUJAN 4m V I 316321149 mi 1 qr 3 INVENTOR .7

GUSTAV w'kw'a CONNECTION FOR PREFABRICATED SHEETS This invention relates to a building or structural assembly, and more particularly to a connection for prefabricated boards with special edges which are engaged by corresponding parts of connection plates.

The prefabricated boards at present used in the building industry, particularly in the construction of prefabricated buildings, are fastened by means of tongue and groove connections or by clamping adjacent opposing flanges directly to each other, whereby in the first case the connection lies within the edge of the board and in the second case outside said edge. In both cases joints and tensions can arise in the boards, depending upon temperature oscillations, and this necessitates expensive scaling measures at the joined edges. Tension peaks result at the recesses by the angular rabbet and flange recesses respectiviely. Furthermore mounting the sheets to form walls always takes place from one connection side so that it is not possible at a later date to interchange individual boards without incurring great difficulties. In these known construction elements, special recesses and grooves must be planned for their mounting, which grooves and recesses are different from wall to wall.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a building of flat surface structural assembly in which the elements are assembled by rigid connection plates adapted to lie flush with the wall surface and provide a structure that will not give way along the joining of the elements together.

It is another object of the invention to provide a structural assembly in which the connecting plates that join together the board elements may be altered to provide for window cons'tructions extending laterally therefrom, either in rigid or hingeable manner, a door hinge arrangement connectable to the wall, or for connection of slidable doors therewith.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a building or structural assembly comprising, in combination, at least two prefabricated boards, at least one edge of each of which has an undulated formation, and a connection plate having at least two limbs which have an undulated formation corresponding to said board edges whereby each sheet can engage a limb of said connection plate by engagement of the respective undulated formation.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 to 3 are respectively fragmentary end views of three structures, straight wall, T- shape and L- shape, of a building assembly embodying features of the present invention;

FIGS. 4 to 6 are respectively end views of modified connection plates;

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are respectively transverse sectional views of still further modified forms of the invention;

FIG. 10 is section view of ,an assembly adapted as a double window;

FIG. 11 is a transverse sectional view of an assembly adapted as a swinging door;

FIGS. 12 and 13 are respectively transverse sectional views of assemblies adapted as sliding doors.

The construction consists generally of two boards having undulated or wavy edges and a connecting plate having corresponding undulating edges matched with and secured to the undulating edges of the boards. The construction may take the form of a double wall construction elements joined by connecting plates, in which the limbs are provided with undulating surfaces for matching the undulating surfaces of the boards. The boards can be joined and held in spaced relationship by spacing material such as plastic or the like and this material may also fill the space between the connecting plates that join the boards together. The cover can be extended over the connecting plates or the plates themselves may be plain outer surfaces flush with the surfaces of the boards and joining with the undulating or wavy formations of the connecting plates. The connecting plates can be adapted to support windows, hinged doors or sliding doors all in the manner set forth in detail hereinafter.

Referring firstly to FIGS. I to 3, prefabricated boards I are shown having formations at their undulated edges 2. Adjacent coplanar boards are connected by means of coplanar connection plate 3 as shown in FIG. I, while T- or L- shaped structures are made by connecting three or two boards I by a connection plate 4 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively. The connection plates 3 and 4 each has a central nonundulating portion and limbs 5 for engaging the edges 2 of the boards I. The limbs 5 have undulations corresponding to those of the board edges 2. The connection plates may be screwed, riveted or glued to the board edges 2 or they may be snapped into position. Furthermore, covering sheets 6 and 7 (FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively) are provided to conceal the connection plate 4. The connection plates may be filled with foam material.

The prefabricated boards I may be formed of plastic material or any other suitable material and comprise two spaced layers, and a foam material sheet la may be used as the spacing material to hold the layers apart. Alternatively, the space between the layers may be used to contain installations such as lighting fixtures and so forth. Pressure pieces 2a are located between the undulated layers and may be made in one single piece together with the foam material sheets la or the latter may be laid, glued, pressed or cast between the undulated layers. The undulations of the edge connections are spaced apart by distances as seen in FIG. I.

In the hollow spaces 8 which are created between the limbs 5 of the connection plates 3, 4, stiffeners may be arranged in a sealed or insulated manner. Alternatively, stiffeners may be mounted in the boards or in their undulated edges 2. In the board consisting of two layers a perfect accuracy in the outside dimensions can be reached by a corresponding pressing and glueing the parts together.

In FIG. 4 parts of a plate 9 between the limbs 2 are shortened. By corresponding configuration of the intermediate undulation a certain elasticity can be obtained in the connection plate 10 according to FIG. 5 or by corresponding ribs 11 according to FIG. 6.

In FIG. 7, flat solid connecting plates 12 with rib stifieners are provided and according to FIG. 8 internally curved solid connection plates 13 are used. In FIG. 9, solidshortened connection plates 14 having a stiffener tube 15 is provided.

FIG. 10 shows the connection of the prefabricated boards 1, with parallel boards 16, which are mounted perpendicularly to the boards 1 to form double walls extending laterally therefrom. Connection plates l7, l8 serve to engage the edges 2 of the boards 1. The parallel boards 16 are so mounted as to be angularly movable relative to the connection plates l7, 18 as shown in dot-dash lines. FIG. 11 shows a swinging door, whereby between stationary boards 1 and swinging boards I are joined by articulated connection plates 19, 20.

In FIG. 12 a sliding door is shown with a roller guide 22 between the ends of the boards I, located in a connection plate 21 with an enlarged sliding guide 24 in a connection plate 23, as shown in FIG. 13.

In each case an easy and quick mounting as well as a simple interchanging of individual prefabricated boards is made possible. The edges of the boards are concealed by the connection plates. By using double layer prefabricated plates with undulated edges and intennediate pressure pieces excessive tensions at the connection points are avoided and also a connection is achieved which can be highly stressed for tension, pressure, bending, and warping, whereby also the sheets themselves are resistant against warping.

Iclaim:

I. A structural assembly comprising in combination:

a. a plurality of board members interconnected along their edges in spaced relation, each of said board members having laterally spacedapart sidewalls in parallel planes terminating, at least at one side edge, in projecting portions with laterally spaced undulating sidewalls, said spaced undulating sidewalls lying wholly within the space defined between the planes of said spacedapart sidewalls;

b. connecting means adapted to encompass the projecting edge portions of said board members which are directed toward each other in spaced relationship, said connecting means including a plurality of separate members having spaced limb portions with undulating surfaces adapted to mate with said spaced undulating walls on said projecting portions, said spaced limb portions being joined by a nonundulating portion; and

c. means for securing said limb portions of said members to said projecting portions and with said nonundulating portions of said members extending between said projecting portions which are in spaced relationship to form a hollow space therebetween.

2. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said members are plates having a uniform wall thickness throughout their length.

3. A structural assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein cover sheets are secured between the spacedapart sidewalls of adjacent board members to contact portions of the undulating surfaces of said limb portions not in contact with said projecting portions and with the outer walls surface of a cover sheet lying flush with the outer wall surfaces of the sidewall to which it is secured.

4. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said spaced limb portions are longitudinally aligned with said nonundulating portions.

5. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said spaced limb portions are offset angularly with respect to said nonundulating portion.

6. A structural assembly as defined in claim I, wherein said members are solid pieces with a flat outer wall surface.

7. A structural assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein said solid pieces have ribs which contact each other adjacent the spacedapart projecting portions.

8. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein spacing means are disposed between said spaced undulating sidewalls.

9. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein stiffening means are disposed between said connecting members at the hollow space therebetween.

10. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said nonundulating portions of one of said members is shaped to form a hinge joint with the nonundulating portion of another of said members at the hollow space therebetween.

11. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said nonundulating portion of one of said members is formed as a guide surface over which an associated section of the nonundulating portion of another of said members is adapted to move.

12. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said associated section includes roller means. 

1. A structural assembly comprising in combination: a. a plurality of board members interconnected along their edges in spaced relation, each of said board members having laterally spaced-apart sidewalls in parallel planes terminating, at least at one side edge, in projecting portions with laterally spaced undulating sidewalls, said spaced undulating sidewalls lying wholly within the space defined between the planes of said spaced-apart sidewalls; b. connecting means adapted to encompass the projecting edge portions of said board members which are directed toward each other in spaced relationship, said connecting means including a plurality of separate members having spaced limb portions with undulating surfaces adapted to mate with said spaced undulating walls on said projecting portions, said spaced limb portions being joined by a nonundulating portion; and c. means for securing said limb portions of said members to said projecting portions and with said nonundulating portions of said members extending between said projecting portions which are in spaced relationship to form a hollow space therebetween.
 2. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said members are plates having a uniform wall thickness throughout their length.
 3. A structural assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein cover sheets are secured between the spaced-apart sidewalls of adjacent board members to contact portions of the undulating surfaces of said limb portions not in contact with said projecting portions and with the outer walls surface of a cover sheet lying flush with the outer wall surfaces of the sidewall to which it is secured.
 4. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said spaced limb portions are longitudinally aligned with said nonundulating portions.
 5. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said spaced limb portions are offset angularly with respect to said nonundulating portion.
 6. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said members are solid pieces with a flat outer wall surface.
 7. A structural assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein said solid pieces have ribs which contact each other adjacent the spaced-apart projecting portions.
 8. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein spacing means are disposed between said spaced undulating sidewalls.
 9. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein stiffening means are disposed between said connecting members at the hollow space therebetween.
 10. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said nonundulating portions of one of said members is shaped to form a hinge joint with the nonundulating portion of another of said members at the hollow space therebetween.
 11. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said nonundulating portion of one of said members is formed as a guide surface over which an associated section of the nonundulating portion of another of said members is adapted to move.
 12. A structural assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said associated section includes roller means. 